UBA Announces Winners Of 2015 National Essay Competition

The United Bank of Africa, UBA Announces Winners Of 2015 National Essay Competition

The United Bank of Africa, UBA Foundation has announced the winners of this year’s National Essay Competition.

Of the 12 shortlisted finalists, Miss Emediong Uko of the British Nigerian Academy, Abuja, emerged winner of the competition.

The 15-year-old Akwa Ibom native, won the competition with the essays she wrote on the topics: “What matters to you most in Life?” and “If you were to help someone, who would it be and how would you go about it?”

She was awarded a N1 million educational grant, which she can claim once she gains admission into any university in Africa, a laptop, and trophy as her prize.

Coming in second place was 14-year old Starish Enonuya of The Lagoon School, Lekki, Lagos, who got N750,000 educational grant, while third placed Eze Ugochinyere of Living Word Academy School, Abia, got N500,000.

Speaking at the award ceremony, the Chief Judge of the competition, Prof. Ime Uko of the University of Uyo, said the top three proved their worth in the second round, showing that they really wrote the first essays themselves – unlike some  of the remaining seven finalists, whose entries she believed might have been improved by others.

She called on schools to discourage text message culture in formal writing, and teach pupils to properly reference materials from the internet.